


The Runt

by XariXipha



Category: Invader Zim
Genre: Mild animal abuse, ZADF, ZaDr, be warned guys, boys being hesitant friends, but its not too bad dont worry, dib gets a cat, take with a grain of salt tho
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-09
Updated: 2020-04-09
Packaged: 2021-03-01 16:34:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,345
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23560156
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/XariXipha/pseuds/XariXipha
Summary: Dib happens to pass the group of school bullies as they're huddled around the dumpster, but he isn't the one to speak up when he notices that they're tormenting an abandoned kitten. No, but rather it is his arch-nemesis, his somewhat of a 'friend' for the past few months now, the evil alien invader- that stands up for this runt of a kitten being abused by those more powerful than it.
Relationships: Dib & Zim (Invader Zim), Dib/Zim (Invader Zim)
Comments: 10
Kudos: 172





	The Runt

**Author's Note:**

> For the longest time I've had anxiety over the first story I'd post on here. So I figured I'd just write a short little drabble just to break the ice. First fic woo-hoo!

The day started off like any other- a normal Tuesday in the middle of September. Dib membrane had breakfast with his sister, Gaz, like usual, and they both walked to school together. The sky was the same greyish haze it's always been, and the slight breeze was nothing to write home about. The neighbors continued to ignore his existence, and passerby's steered clear of your sister's path. Nothing was out of the ordinary. 

Even as Dib passed by the Skool gates, and overheard a loud collection of chuckles from over by the dumpsters- even as he saw the origin of those rather devious giggles and the suspicious way in which they huddled together around a small cardboard box- he still didn't think anything abnormal about it. Sure, the behavior in itself might have been suspicious, but he was well aware that their nefarious antics were nothing unusual. 

The day was a normal one- a clear Tuesday morning. That is until Zim suddenly stepped in front of him. 

His nemesis cutting off his step was nothing unusual. The irken often pushed and prodded at him. He loved the little gestures that, while usually harmless, seemed to especially inconvenience him, even if in the slightest way possible. 

What made his actions unusual, though, was that he interrupted Dib's step, and then proceeded further, as if unaware that he had even done so in the first place. Zim was such a prideful character, it was strange for him to trip the human and not even notice what he would undoubtedly claim as a 'victory'. 

This gave him pause- his curiosity peeked. Amber eyes watch his rival and widen when he connects his direction with the group of jocks. He frowns. Before he's consciously made the decision, he's following him. 

"Ah man, listen to his cute little cries!" Chunk is the one who says this, his voice carrying across the lot. The others around him chuckle in amusement. 

"They say cats always land on their feet. You think if we throw him like a football he will?" The suggestion sounds from the red-capped one- Carl, Dib thinks his name is. A few of them share their guesses with cruel smirks. Chunk bounces something in his hand- an action he's done many times on the field- a warmup move. He's testing the weight. Usually, that weight belongs to a football, and it is with hot fury and a painful clench of his stomach that he finally notices the small kitten beings victimized by these brutes. It cries out- a high pitched and pitiful noise, as Chunk tosses it a foot into the air. Dib can already see the angry red lines along the jock's palms when he twists around, rearing his arm back- the kitten's best but ultimately futile attempt to stay grounded. 

Before Dib can act, Zim's gloved fingers clench around Chunk's wrist. 

"Wha- hey, let go of me!" Chunk spits, his lip curling into a snarl. He attempts to pull away, but the Irken's grip is iron. The kitten cries out once more. 

"Let go of the purr-beast this instant, worm child." Zim's tone gives Dib pause. The young membrane is familiar with the Invader's piercing rage, but this harsh whisper is new. 

"Why should I? I found it first." The jock dares. Zim squints his eyes, glaring up at the hulking boy. His small stature indicated that he had every bit the low-ground in this situation, but Zim has never been the type to back down because of odds like that. If anything, he welcomed them. 

"You will hand me the cat-smeet or there will be blood to pay. I am not in the joking mood right now." He growls. Chunk regards him with unkempt irritation. 

"Fine, keep the runt." The bully spits, dropping the kitten from his grip. The Irken stumbles to catch it, positioning it carefully in his small palms. The group throws insults over their shoulders at him as they depart, surely off to go wreck havoc elsewhere.

"He is not a RUNT you piece of worthless garbage!" He shouts after them. Zim is left standing alone next to the smelly dumpsters. He is carefully regarding the kitten when Dib finally approaches him. 

"So, uh..." He mumbles, not quite sure how to proceed. 

"Zim is not in the mood for your pestering, Dib human." The Invader replies bluntly. He hums once he has found no apparent injuries amidst its sandy fur. 

"Cool it, will you? I'm not here to 'pester' you or anything like that." He shoots back, the conversation taking a route towards familiarity. Zim finally regards him, his eyes narrowed. 

"Then what do you want?" He snaps. Dib raises his hands in a gesture of peace, before motioning towards the cat. 

"I didn't think you'd do something like that." He admits. 

"Well, Zim does a lot of things you do not 'think' I'd do, human-filth!" He snarls back. Dib sighs. 

"I just meant it was a cool thing to do. It's a good thing." He clarifies. "So, what are you gonna name it?" He decides to ask. The Irken raises a non-existent eyebrow. 

"The mow-beast?" He regards the tiny creature in his hands, staring back up at him with large Amber eyes. 

"Kitten." Dib corrects. 

"Yeah, whatever." He shrugs off. The little claw-beast was so small in his already tiny hands. It sniffs up at him, it's little antenna flicking out towards him. "Dib thing, what are these stalks protruding from the mow-beast's face?" He questions, his voice calm for a change. 

"Whiskers? Cat's use them to see things close to their face because they're far-sighted, and they use them to measure spaces to see if they'll fit through them or not." Dib supplies with a curious, quirked brow. "I thought you would have learned that by now, given how long you've been on Earth for." 

"Whiskers! It is perfect!" He holds the kitten high, a mad, toothy grin upon his face. "You will be my greatest minion yet! I will train you to be the most fearsome claw-beast of them all, and you will rule by your master's side- I AM ZIM!" He cackles. Dib sighs, again. 

"Zim, you can't train cats. They're different from dogs." He chides. 

"What is this nonsense you speak of, Dib-filth. You are full of the jelly and you are AWFUL at hiding it!" He sneers. 

"Not- no, that's-" He takes a breath. "Zim, cats like to do whatever they want. "Most humans don't like cats because cats don't listen to people the way dogs do." Zim regards him for a tense moment. 

"Then, what do cats listen to?" 

"Themselves." He says, and then, corrects, "Singular. The cat will only listen to itself. I mean, I guess you could create some sort of hypnosis device but I honestly doubt it'd even work on them because cats are very stubborn. Almost as stubborn as you are." Zim grunts. He turns his chin away from Dib, hugging Whiskers to his chest. 

"That won't be necessary. Zim will permit Whiskers to do as he wants because he is the best mow-beast and his desires are obviously superior to those of other, lower mow-creatures." 

Dib isn't surprised by his tone or the way he casually leaves the skool yard, despite the fact that the bell for 1st period is about to ring. 

He isn't even surprised that evening, when Zim climbs through his bedroom window with Whiskers held securely in his arms. He knew Gir was going to eventually try to eat the poor thing. He is surprised that Zim demanded he "share custody" of the kitten, though, even expressly stating that he be allowed into his house any time he pleases in order to visit Whiskers. Dib is forced to agree, not wanting the poor cat to get hurt in the wrong hands, and reluctantly not wanting to disrupt the truce they've just started working on. 

Now Dib Membrane has a cat, and he can't even be mad about it. He also sees Zim more, but that's less unusual. 


End file.
